Routine
by JoeiMarie
Summary: They had good jobs, a good marriage, and they loved each other. Lea and Isa always met at the China House at 1:00 in the afternoon every Wednesday, and nothing ever disrupted that routine. Nothing.


I parked my car in my usual parking spot, in front of our usual restaurant, on the usual day, and at the usual time. I saw Isa already seated inside the China House, at our usual table. I walked into the oriental designed building, excited to see my best friend, and husband of 3 years. We always meet on Wednesdays, at 1:00 for lunch, our jobs don't allow for much quality time, Isa taught at the University here in Boston and had an awkward schedule, teaching classes in afternoon, to about 1 or 2 in the morning. I worked as a psychiatrist, from 7 in the morning to 5, working towards opening my own practice so I could control my own hours. Isa and I usually only get the weekends and holidays to spend together, with the exception of our Wednesdays.

I smile at Hyori, an oriental waitress who knows Isa and me by name because of our little tradition, as I walked to my spot across from Isa. The bluenette smiled at me "You're on time this week, Lea." He said reaching over the table to lightly kiss my cheek.

I smiled back saying, "Well you know, I got here without encountering any horrible driver, must not be any Asians out." I felt a slap on the back of my head as Hyori hit me with the notepad she uses to take orders. She said something in Chinese, that I'm sure was a vile name, then she smiled softly.

"You want your usual?" She asked in her strong accent.

Isa nodded, "Yes, two orders of Orange Chicken, with white rice."

"And two Dr. Pepper's mixed with Lemonade!" I said enthusiastically.

She nodded and gave me on last hit on the head before heading towards the kitchen. Isa laughed as I rubbed the back of my head, "You know," he said, "You shouldn't say offensive things so close to people it offends." I stuck my tongue out at him and he only laughed. "So how was work this morning?"

I groaned and sunk in my chair, "The girl sex addict his back."

"The one who always tries to seduce you? What was her name again? Marlene?" Isa asked as Hyori brought our drinks. We said our thanks as she walked away.

"Yes that one, and her name is Arlene, today she grabbed my crotch… It was rather uncomfortable. She doesn't seem to understand that I don't bat for that team."

Isa laughed at me again, "Why do you continue to see her? Why don't you refer her to another shrink?"

"Because she pays me good money." I say with a groan.

"So she's paying you to come into your office every other day and try to get some? Sounds like you should refer her to a whore, Lord knows there are plenty, she'd have success." Isa said smirking.

I spit out my drink laughing. "ISA! Don't say stuff like that when I'm drinking!" We laughed harder at the mess I had just made on the table. We grabbed some napkins from the dispenser and began to wipe the table clean. "You know," I said smirking, "This isn't the only mess I've ever spurted on a table or two." I winked at Isa. Before he had a chance to reply to my naughty innuendo, Hyori came with our food and we began to eat.

I reached over and stole a piece of chicken off of Isa's plate. "Lea!" He slapped my hand, "You have the same thing on your own plate!"

I laughed, "You aren't even going to finish it all!"

Isa sighed, "Why do I bother?" He flashed me a smile and continued eating.

We ate in silence as I devoured my food and he took smaller, but still rushed bites as our hour together was quickly coming to end. I finished before him, my plate completely empty, and a few minutes later, he pushed his plate towards me and I finished what he didn't eat. I called Hyori over to pay her, giving her a generous tip as always. She thanked us, and we walked out to the parking lot. I grabbed his hand in mine as we walked to his car. I gave him a peck on the lips before saying goodbye.

This was always the hardest, knowing the next time I would see him would be when I woke up in the morning, or, if we were lucky I'd wake up when he got home tonight. "Have a good afternoon." He told me, his grass green eyes dancing as he met my emerald green gaze.

"You too," I kissed him once more, "I love you."

"I love you too."

XxXxXxXx

When I got home, I threw my coat on the couch and headed straight for the fridge, I was starving. Why didn't I save Isa's leftovers? I abandoned my search for food and headed upstairs toward the bathroom. I loosened my tie along the way, and undid my belt buckle. I needed to take a nice long shower, so that's exactly what I did.

When I got out, I put on a pair of sweats and laid in our bed and drifted off to sleep, I didn't mean to, but the next thing I woke up to was Isa lying down next to me. I looked at the clock, it was 1:30 in the morning. I turned over and held him. "Hi." I whispered.

"Hullo." He said back already half asleep.

"They work you to hard you know?"

"Mmhmm." Came his muffled reply. I smiled and kissed his temple before falling back to sleep myself.

XxXxXxX

I woke up the next day at 5:30 to get ready, trying not to disturb Isa. Before I left, I kissed Isa's temple and said, "Goodbye my blue bird." I saw him smile lightly. I made my way to work. The morning was fairly slow, with a few regulars, a 16 year old, Riku, who wasn't dealing with his parent's divorce well, a man Xigbar, who recently went through rehab for Alcohol addiction, and a 6 year old kid who had witnessed the murder of her father 3 weeks ago. I really had grown fond of this one, her name was Namine and she was the sweetest kid I'd ever met.

After my talk with Namine, I order some lunch to be delivered, and went to look at my afternoon schedule, where I found that my first patient of the afternoon was Sex Kitten Arlene. I groaned. My food arrived shortly after, and I ate slowly, trying to put off my meeting with the modern day Aphrodite. I reluctantly finished and headed to my office to see her waiting on the couch in a very short skirt and a tight top revealing plenty of her cleavage and midriff. She really didn't leave much to the imagination. She got up slowly from the couch and began to strut over to me, her slicked back blond hair staying perfectly in place. She looked at me with lust-filled jade eyes.

"I swear, come any closer and I'm buying you a shock collar." I said putting my notebook up as a barrier between us.

"Kinky." She said as she reached to stroke my chest. I recoiled away from her like she could have struck me with lightning.

"Why don't we just start our session?" I said running to my chair placed strategically so that I was just out of her reach on the couch.

She sat with a huff, "Why are you such a Stiff?" she asked.

I ran a hand through my red hair as I said, "Mrs. Rau, I told you before, I'm gay. Why don't you direct some of your sexual energy toward your husband? Liam?"

"And like I've told _you_ before, he shows more attention to his business than to me."

"Well are you-" I was interrupted by the phone ringing. "Do you mind?" I asked Arlene gesturing to the phone. She just shook her head looking rather bored as she lay on the couch. I picked up the phone and said, "Lea Lucas speaking."

"Mr. Lucas, this is Dr. Ienzo Luther, your husband Isa Lucas was just admitted to the ICU, he was in a devastating car wreck about 2 hours ago. We've done what we can to save his life up to this point, but we still don't know of any lasting damage. If you can get to the hospital now, I'll tell you the details." I nearly dropped the phone, I couldn't believe it, cautious Isa, careful Isa, vigilant Isa, _My Isa_, in a car wreck. I managed to give a quick ok to Dr. Ienzo before I threw the phone back to its cradle, it missed and hit the floor, taking the cradle with it, but I didn't care. I was already across the room gathering my things.

"Is everything alright?" Arlene asked looking genuinely worried.

"No," I reply shakily, "Everything just broke to pieces." I ran out the door apologizing to her. My boss yelled after me, but I didn't care, all I cared was seeing Isa's face.

I drove to the hospital a little more reckless than I should have. I parked and ran into the building, not bothering with an elevator, but sprinting towards the staircase heading up to the 5th floor where ICU was. I got there sweating and out of breath, I headed to the front desk, "I'm… looking for Is- Isa Lucas." I gasped for air, before the secretary could answer me, I heard someone call my name. I assumed it was Dr. Ienzo, the man I had spoken on the phone with.

"Come, sit and talk with me." He gestured to the small waiting area. I nodded and sat down. I tried to sit still as the doctor explained to me that Isa had been the victim of a drunk driver.

"Drunk? At 1:30 in the afternoon?! Who was this guy?!" I nearly yelled.

"We identified him as Xigbar Brand, he passed away shortly after arriving here."

I looked at him shocked before I put my head in my hands and made a noise that sounded like a strangled cat.

"Did you know him?"

I nodded and swallowed, "He was one of my patients, I'm a therapist, I guess I didn't do my job very well."

"No, no, you mustn't blame yourself for the stupidity of others. Now, we have found severe bleeding in Isa's temporal lobe, right now, he cannot breathe on his own, and he is being held in a medically induced coma to slow the effects of the bleeding."

"What can you do?" I asked my voice shaking.

"Yes, we could perform surgery, but in is current condition, he may not be able to withstand it, we could end his life instead of saving it. As well, even if he were in a better condition, the temporal lobe is responsible for memories. Enough damage was done, that if he were to survive this, he wouldn't remember a thing, he couldn't talk, write, read, or even walk without being taught again."

"He wouldn't even remember me?" I say suppressing tears.

"No, but in time he could be the Isa you know again, but it would take years. Even so, that is in the best scenario, Isa's condition isn't nearly as good."

"He's going to die isn't he?" I say quietly.

Dr. Ienzo hesitated before giving a small nod. I couldn't stop them, tears blurred my vision and poured from my eyes like rain from a storm cloud. That's exactly what my life was now, one big storm cloud looming over my head. I looked up at the doctor when some tears subsided, "So I won't be able to say goodbye?"

"No, if we, with your consent, take him off life support, he would suffocate, and if we do perform surgery, he won't come out alive. There is nothing we can do and I give you my deepest apologies for that." He put his hand on my shoulder before speaking again, "Would you like to go see him?"

I nodded, unable to speak. He led me through the automatic doors and to room 1578 where Isa was. I stared at Isa, hooked up to a bunch of machinery that I couldn't even begin to understand. But when I looked at his face, I didn't see a hint of discomfort, he looked serene, and despite the cuts that now littered his face and the X-shaped scar on his forehead, he still looked as beautiful as he did the day I fell in love with him, and every day after that.

"I'll give you a moment alone before you make your decision." Ienzo said softly. I nodded and heard him close the door behind him.

I walked towards Isa's bed, tears began to rain as I came to the full reality of the situation, I'd never see his beautiful grass green eyes again, nor his stunning smile, I wouldn't hear the deep sound of his voice, I'd never hear my little blue bird sing again. I moved a chair by the hospital bed and sat down. I sat silently, just listening to the sound of my soft sobs and watching Isa peaceful face. He almost looked as if he was sleeping. I wish he was, I wish the doctor would walk in and say, 'Sorry we made a mistake! It wasn't _your _Isa that is dying!' But I knew that was a lie, these people don't make mistakes.

I grasped Isa's hand in mine, it was cold. "Why are you leaving me Isa? I- I thought we were a te-team." I stumbled over words as I cried. "You're my be-best friend, my l-love." I squeezed his hand wishing he would open his eyes and squeeze my hand in return, I wish he would tell me not to worry so much. But he didn't he just laid there as I sobbed.

"I'm going to miss you, every single day for the rest of my life, I will never be the same without you." I took my other hand and stroked his hair with it. "You were the sun to my sunny day and you shined brighter than any of the stars in the sky. Without you, my world will be dark and cruel, but I will never forget the light you once brought with you. You are my dearest friend, my greatest confidant, and my one and only love." I kissed his temple. "Goodbye my little blue bird."

XxXxXxXx

It was a sunny day. I sat crossed-legged in the grass staring at the headstone. It read,

_Isa Lucas_

_July 8__th__, 1988- August 7__th__ 2013_

_Loved Teacher, Loved Son, and Loved Husband._

"_When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."_

The quote was from our favorite movie, When Harry met Sally. Well, it was Isa's favorite movie, I watched it because he begged me too, and I found that I loved it as well. And I'd give anything to watch it with him again.

When I got home, I went to our room, his things were scattered around, some in boxes that I was going to give away, and some I would be keeping. I felt like I was going to be sick, I couldn't remember the last time I'd eaten. I rushed to the bathroom, and emptied my already empty stomach.

I sat on the floor for some time, before gathering the strength to stand. Finally, after what seemed like hours, and it very well could have been. I stood up and rinsed my mouth. I looked at my reflection. My face was thin and sunken in. My hair didn't look as red, and my usual green eyes looked dull and grey. I looked away and went back to the bedroom. I fell on the bed and slept.

XxXxXxXx

I don't know why, maybe just the natural routine I was used to, but as Wednesday came, I found myself outside of the China House at 1:00. I found myself sitting at our table, looking at an empty chair. Hyori came over to take my order, I ordered the usual, two Orange chickens with white rice, and two Dr. Pepper's mixed with lemonade. She nodded and left without a word.

I looked out the window and saw a young couple walking down the sidewalk, hand in hand, they smiled and looked at each other like their life revolved around each other. I know now, that it did.

Hyori came back with the drinks and I drank mine slowly, my gaze fixated on the empty chair in front of me. Hyori brought the food and again left without a word. I looked at my plate and ate a few bites, then I reached across the table and stole a piece of chicken off the other plate. Naturally, I waited for a light slap, but it never came, and I knew it wouldn't. I set my fork down, it just wasn't the same without anyone to yell at me.

XxXxXxXx

Every Wednesday, if you walk by the China House in Boston at 1:00 sharp, you will always see a red-headed man sitting alone, at the same table week after week. He always ordered two plates and two drinks. It was just, Routine.


End file.
